Invensys Rail awarded £28m Reading Western Mainlines signalling contract

Network Rail has awarded the £28 million signalling contract for the Reading Western Mainlines programme to Invensys Rail.

The scope of the overall programme covers the remodelling of the Reading Station Area from Sonning to Pangbourne, a new train care depot and four new platforms which will provide increased capacity at and through the station.

Over the four year contract period Invensys will be responsible for the design, supply, installation, testing and commissioning of the signalling works, including new LED signals, gantries and posts and new lineside equipment.

The contract award follows the success of the Reading Enabling Project, an intensive 27 month programme which saw control of Reading Station transferred to three WESTLOCK computer-based interlockings at the new Thames Valley Signalling Control Centre at Didcot. One of these will be remodelled as part of the Reading Southern Lines signalling project which will be commissioned over Christmas 2011.

Commenting on the Western Lines programme, David Attmere, Senior Project Manager at Invensys Rail said: “We’re absolutely delighted to have been awarded this contract, following the work that we have already completed for the Reading Remodelling programme. The same core team will deliver this next programme of work, remaining co-located on site with Network Rail. This arrangement has worked extremely well and has undoubtedly contributed to the success of the project to date. We’re now looking forward to working closely with our Network Rail colleagues to deliver this next challenging and technically complex programme of work.”

The first major commissioning of the Reading Western Mainlines project will deliver increased capacity at Reading Station and will take place over Easter 2013; the final commissioning is scheduled for August 2015.

Bill Henry, Project Director for Network Rail in Reading said: “The work Invensys Rail is doing is a vital part of the massive plan to upgrade Reading’s railway. We’ll be working hand-in-hand with Invensys to install this state-of-the-art signalling technology which will allow us to make huge changes to track layout, increase capacity and cut delays. This work will benefit passengers along the entire Western route, from south Wales and the south west to London.”